Floor cleaning device adapted for securement to a shoe

ABSTRACT

A device which may be used for cleaning floors, household appliances, and similar items and which includes an elongated flexible pad of abrasive material adapted to be positioned across the sole of a shoe or the inside surface of the fingers of the hand with the end portions of the pad lapping the opposite side edges of the shoe sole or fingers. A strap having the ends thereof secured to the end portions of the pad is included and is adapted to extend across the upper part of the shoe or the back surface of the fingers so as to hold the pad against the shoe sole or inside surface of the fingers. A pad gripping part is carried at one end of the strap and is releasably interlocked with its engaged pad end portion at a selected location thereon.

Sims

[451 Oct. 24, 1972 [72] Inventor: Clarence R. Sims, Route 6, PO. Box

. 121, Elkhart, Ind. 46514 [22] Filed: Sept. 4, 1970 [21] Appl. No; 69,740

[52] US. Cl ....36/7.7, 15/227 [51] Int. Cl.- ..A43b 3/18 [58] Field of Search ..36/7.6, 7.7, 59 R; 15/227 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,547,812 4/1951 Carabatsos ..36/7.7 1,040,896 10/1912 Cox ..36/7.7. 2,628,437 2/1953 Forsythe ..36/7.7 3,526,014 9/ l 970 Edwards ..15/22'7 FLOOR CLEANING DEVICE ADAPTED FOR SECUREMENT' TO A SHOE Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney-Oltsch and Knoblock [57] ABSTRACT A device which may be used for cleaning floors, household appliances, and similar items and which includes an elongated flexible pad of abrasive material adapted to be positioned across the sole of a shoe or the inside surface of the fingers of the hand with the end portions of the pad lapping the opposite side edges of the shoe. sole or fingers. A strap having the ends thereof secured to the end portions of the pad is included and is adapted to extend across the upper part of the shoe or the back surface of the fingers so as to hold the pad against the shoe sole or inside surface of the fingers. A pad gripping part is carried at one end of the strap and is releasably interlocked with its engaged pad end portion at a selected location thereon.

l2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] um 24 m2 SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR CLARENCE R SIMS ATTORNEYS PATENTEDncr 24 I972 SHEET 2 OF 2 I INVENTOR CLARENCE R. SIMS ATTORNEYS FLOOR CLEANING DEVICE ADAPTED FOR SECUREMENT -A SHOE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device which is attachable to the sole of a shoe and is usable as. a floor cleaning device or walking aid and which will additionally have application. as a household cleaning device securable to the hand of the user.

This invention includes a flexible pad, having opposite end portions, adapted for positioning across-the sole of a shoe or the inside surface of the fingers of the hand with the end portions of the pad lapping opposite edges of the shoe sole orfingers. A strap is provided with the ends thereof secured to the end portions of the pad. The intermediate part of the'strap between its ends is adapted to extend across the upper portion of the shoe or across the back of the fingers so as to hold the pad against the shoe sole or inside surface of the fingers. Means are provided which, in association with the strap, cause the end portions of the pad to conform to the curvature of the overlapped side edges of the shoe sole or fingers so as to improve the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe or inside surface of the fingers.

The pad of the above described invention is preferably constructed from an abrasive material. The strap which secures the pad to the shoe or fingers preferably has both its ends releasably secured .to the end portions of the pad so as to allow for rotation and reversal of the pad to accommodate wear and replacement thereof. The ends of the strap are so secured to the end portions of the pad that each strap end is made to assume a selected angular relationship relative to its connected pad end portion to enable the pad end portions to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to the shoe or fingers andthus cause the pad to fit flatly against the sole of the shoe or inner surface of the fingers. By thus improving the fit of the pad against the shoe sole or inner surface of the fingers, -a more uniform pad cleaning surface is obtained and there is less likelihood for the pad to slip ofi of the shoe or hand.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention toprovide a cleaning device for the floor which is adapted to be applied to the sole of the shoe of the user in a rapid and simple manner and which is of economical manufacture.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cleaning device for household applicances, dishes and similar items which can be applied to the hand of the user and which is of economical manufacture.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a means for releasably securing a pad of abrasive material to the sole of a shoe in a simple and rapid manner.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon a reading of the invention s description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modification of the strap component of the device illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the device illustrated in FIG. 1 shown in its shoe-conforming state.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the strap component of the modified device illustrated in FIG. 5 as viewed along line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED I EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments illustrated are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. They are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its application and practical use to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention.

The embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIGS. 1+3 includes a flexible pad 10 which is preferably elongated and which has a central circular-like portion 12 and oppositely extending tabs or end portions 14. Pad 10 is preferably of a uniform thickness and of an abrasive interwoven texture, such as that provided by steel wool or spun nylon. While the device of this invention will find particular application in removing scuff and other matter from floors, it is to be understood that pad 10 need not be of an abrasive texture but instead may be formed of sponge or felt and utilized for non-abrasive cleaning or polishing. When pad 10 is constructed from an abrasive material, the device of this invention can be used, as a non-slip shoe attachment for use in ice houses and locker plants. Additionally, pad 10 when used as a floor cleaner may be impregnated with a detergent. A strap 16 is utilized to attach pad 10 to the sole of the shoe. Strap 16 is preferably elastic, although anonelastic construction could be used in the device of this invention. Attached to each end of strap 16 is a grip part 18. Each grip part 18 includes hook means which is adapted to releasably interlock with an end portion 14 of pad 10. Thus, with pad 10 being constructed from an interwoven material, such as steel wool or spun nylon, each grip part 18 may consist of a small pad of plastic looped hooks commonly known as Velcro, as il lustrated in FIGS. 13, or some other type of hook means, such as the rigid hook component 20 which is illustrated in FIG. 4and which is clamped to each end of strap 16. In some embodiments of this invention, one end of strap 16 can be stapled or otherwise affixed to a pad end portion 14 with the other strap end carrying a grip part 18 for securement to the other pad end portion.

To apply the device illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 to the shoe of the user, one grip part 18 is attached to an end portion 14 of pad 10. The pad is then placed under the foot with central portion 12 thereof positioned against the sole of the shoe, generally under the ball of the foot. The strap is then brought up and around the upper part of the shoe with the remaining gnp part 18 secured to the other pad end portion 14. As is seen in FIG. 1, end portions 14 of pad 10 extend upwardly and around the side edges of sole 22 of shoe 24. Strap 16 is secured to the outer or exposed surface of each strap end portion 14 with the strap being adjusted so that the end portions 14 are pulled rearwardly and upwardly to cause forward tip 26 of pad central portion 12 to be fitted against the forward end portion of sole 22. If after the initial hook-up of strap 16 to pad 10, the end portions of the pad are not pulled sufficiently upwardly and rearwardly to cause tip 26 of the pad to lay against sole 22, either grip part 18 can be detached from its connected pad end portion and reattached to the end portion at another location thereon so as to correctly position the pad relative to sole 22. Grip parts 18 do not extend around the sole side edges and under the shoe where they would cover a portion of the working surface of the pad and thus decrease the efficiency of the pad.

By having pad 10 entirely detachable from strap 16 and of a symen'ically formed construction, the pad may be rotated and reversed so as to make adjustments for pad wear and thereby extend the life of the pad. End portions 14 preferably have tapered side edges 15 which serve to strengthen the end portions and the pad where the end portions are bent around the side edges of the shoe sole. Additionally, by utilizing end portions 14 which overlap the side edges of the shoe sole, the user of this invention is able to clean the cove of a floor baseboard without removing the pad from the shoe. Due to the various positions in which grip parts 18 can be applied to pad end portions 14, the same sized pad and strap can be made to accommodate mens and womens shoes of various sizes. Additionally, by utilizing an elastic strap 16, the device can be better adjusted to the shoe of the user and may be utilized to accommodate even a greater variance in shoe sizes. Tip

26 of pad 10 is preferably rounded so as not to provide a point which would snag various objects along the floor. A plurality of pads 10 having theconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 3 can be cut from a single sheet of material with only a very minimum of waste.

Referring now to the embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, pad 10' thereof is preferably of the same construction as that described for pad 10 in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. Strap 27 of this embodiment has each end thereof stapled or otherwise affixed to an end portion 14 of the pad. Strap 27 is elastic and consists of two parts a, b which are interconnected by means of a hook 28 and cooperating engagement part 30. The connection between hook 28 and engagement part 30 is preferably of the pivotal, non-rigid type which permits the parts a, b of strap 27 to assume an angular relationship relative to each other. Thus hook 28 and engagement part 30 provide the means, like the individual releasable grip parts 18 attached to strap 16 of the aforedescribed embodiment, by which end portions 14 of pad 10 can be drawn upwardly and rearwardly so as to conform to the curvature of the edges of the shoe sole and thereby cause the pad to assume a closer fit against the sole of the shoe.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the details above given but that it may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.

. What I claim is:

1. A cleaning device comprising a flexible pad of abrasive material having opposite end portions adapted for positioning across the sole of a shoe or the inside surface of the fingers of a hand said end portions lapping opposite side edges of said shoe sole or fingers, a strap having the ends thereof secured'to the end portions of said pad and including a part intermediate the strap ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe or back surface of said fingers to hold said pad against the shoe sole or inner surface of the fingers,

and pad gripping parts carried at the ends of said strap and releasably interlocked with said pad end portions at'selected locations thereon to position said strap ends out of alignment with said pad end portions and cause said pad end portions, to conform to the curvature of the side edges of said shoe sole or fingers and thereby improve the fit of said pad against said sole or fingers.

2. A device for securement to the shoe comprising a flexible pad having generally opposite end portions, said pad adapted for positioning across the sole of said shoe with said end portions lapping opposite edges of the sole and extending upwardly along the sides of the shoe, a strap having the ends thereof secured to said pad end portions and including a part intermediate said ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe to hold said pad against said shoe sole, means associated with said strap for causing said pad end portions to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to said shoe so as to cause the end portions to conform to the curvature of the over lapped edges of the shoe sole, thereby improving the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe, and including means carried by one of said strap ends for releasably securing said one strap end to a pad end portion.

3. A device for securement to the shoe comprising a flexible pad having generally opposite end portions, said pad adapted for positioning across the sole of said shoe with said end portions lapping opposite edges of v the shoe and extending upwardly along the sides of the shoe, a strap having the ends thereof secured to said pad end portions and including a part intermediate said ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe to hold said pad against said shoe sole, and means associated with said strap for causing said pad end portions to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to said shoe so as to cause the end portions to conform to the curvature of the overlapped edges of the shoe sole, thereby improving the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe, said means associated with said strap for causing the conformation of said pad end portions including a material gripping part carried by one of said strap ends and adapted to releasably interlock with a pad end portion at a selectedlocation thereon.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said last mentioned pad end portion is of an interwoven texture with which said material gn'pping part releasably interlocks.

5. A device for securement to the shoe comprising a flexible pad having generally opposite end portions, said pad adapted for positioning across the sole of said shoe with said end portions lapping opposite edges of the sole and extending upwardly along the sides of the shoe, a strap having the ends thereof secured to said pad end portions and including a part intermediate said ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe to hold said pad against said shoe sole, and means associated with said strap for causing said pad end portions to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to said shoe so as to cause the end portions to conform to the curvature of the overlapped edges of the shoe sole, thereby improving the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe, said strap being elastic and fixedly secured at its ends to said pad end portions, said strap being separated into two parts intermediate its ends, each strap part carrying a releasable pivotal lock member which constitutes said means associated with said strap for conformation of the pad end portions, said lock members cooperating to permit said strap parts to be stretched across the upper portion of said shoe and joined.

6. A device for securement to the shoe comprising a flexible pad having generally opposite end portions, said pad adapted for positioning across the sole of said shoe with said end portions lapping opposite edges of the sole and extending upwardly along the sides of the shoe, a strap having the ends thereof secured to said pad end portions and including a part intermediate said ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe to hold said pad against said shoe sole, and means associated with said strap for causing said pad end portions to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to said shoe so as to cause the end portions to conform to the curvature of the overlapped edges of the shoe sole, thereby improving the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe, said means associated with said strap for causing conformation of said pad end portions constituting material gripping parts carried by the ends of said strap and releasably interlocked with said pad end portions at selected locations thereon.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said strap is elastic.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein said pad end portions each have an outer surface with which said material gripping parts releasably interlock, said strap ends being positionable out of alignment with said pad end portions when said gripping parts interlock within said end portions to cause said end portions to conform to the curvature of the edges of said shoe sole.

9. The device of claim 6 wherein said pad is of an interwoven texture, said material gripping parts being releasably interlocked with said pad end portions at the outer surfaces of the end portions.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein said pad includes a generally circular central portion with said end portions thereof constituting tabs extending outwardly from opposite edges of said central portion.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said tabs include tapered side edges integrally joined to said central portion.

12. A floor cleaning device for securement to the shoe comprising a flexible abrasive cleaning pad having generally opposite end portions, said pad adapted for positioning across the sole of said shoe with said end portions lapping opposite edges of the sole and extending upwardly along the sides of the shoe to define cleaning pad surfaces for wall contact adjacent the floor, a strap having the ends thereof secured to said pad end portions and including a part intermediate said ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe to hold said pad against said shoe sole, and means associated with said strap for causing said pad end portions'to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to said shoe so as to cause the end portions to conform to the curvature of the overlapped edges of the shoe sole, thereby improving the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe. 

1. A cleaning device comprising a flexible pad of abrasive material having opposite end portions adapted for positioning across the sole of a shoe or the inside surface of the fingers of a hand with said end portions lapping opposite side edges of said shoe sole or fingers, a strap having the ends thereof secured to the end portions of said pad and including a part intermediate the strap ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe or back surface of said fingers to hold said pad against the shoe sole or inner surface of the fingers, and pad gripping parts carried at the ends of said strap and releasably interlocked with said pad end portions at selected locations thereon to position said strap ends out of alignment with said pad end portions and cause said pad end portions to conform to the curvature of the side edges of said shoe sole or fingers and thereby improve the fit of said pad against said sole or fingers.
 2. A device for securement to the shoe comprising a flexible pad having generally opposite end portions, said pad adapted for positioning across the sole of said shoe with said end portions lapping opposite edges of the sole and extending upwardly along the sides of the shoe, a strap having the ends thereof secured to said pad end portions and including a part intermediate said ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe to hold said pad against said shoe sole, means associated with said strap for causing said pad end portions to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to said shoe so as to cause the end portions to conform to the curvature of the over lapped edges of the shoe sole, thereby improving the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe, and including means carried by one of said strap ends for releasably securing said one strap end to a pad end portion.
 3. A device for securement to the shoe comprising a flexible pad having generally opposite end portions, said pad adapted for positioning across the sole of said shoe with said end portions lapping opposite edges of the shoe and extending upwardly along the sides of the shoe, a strap having the ends thereof secured to said pad end portions and including a part intermediate said ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe to hold said pad against said shoe sole, and means associated with said strap for causing said pad end portions to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to said shoe so as to cause the end portions to conform to the curvature of the overlapped edges of the shoe sole, thereby improving the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe, said means associated with said strap for causing the conformation of said pad end portions including a material gripping part carried by one of said strap ends and adapted to releasably interlock with a pad end portion at a selected location thereon.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein said last mentioned pad end portion is of an interwoven texture with which said material gripping part releasably interlocks.
 5. A device for securement to the shoe comprising a flexible pad having generally opposite end portions, said pad adapted for positioning across the sole of said shoe with said end portions lapping opposite edges of the sole and extending upwardly along the sides of the shoe, a strap having the ends thereof secured to said pad end portions and including a part intermediate said ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe to hold said pad against said shoe sole, and means associated with said strap for causing said pad end portions to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to said shoe so as to cause the end portions to conform to the curvature of the overlapped edges of the shoe sole, thereby improving the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe, said strap being elastic and fixedly secured at its ends to said pad end portions, said strap being separated into two parts intermediate its ends, each strap part carrying a releasable pivotal lock member which constitutes said means associated with said strap for conformation of the pad end portions, said lock members cooperating to permit said strap parts to be stretched across the upper portion of said shoe and joined.
 6. A device for securement to the shoe comprising a flexible pad having generally opposite end portions, said pad adapted for positioning across the sole of said shoe with said end portions lapping opposite edges of the sole and extending upwardly along the sides of the shoe, a strap having the ends thereof secured to said pad end portions and including a part intermediate said ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe to hold said pad against said shoe sole, and means associated with said strap for causing said pad end portions to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to said shoe so as to cause the end portions to conform to the curvature of the overlapped edges of the shoe sole, thereby improving the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe, said means associated with said strap for causing conformation of said pad end portions constituting material gripping parts carried by the ends of said strap and reLeasably interlocked with said pad end portions at selected locations thereon.
 7. The device of claim 6 wherein said strap is elastic.
 8. The device of claim 6 wherein said pad end portions each have an outer surface with which said material gripping parts releasably interlock, said strap ends being positionable out of alignment with said pad end portions when said gripping parts interlock within said end portions to cause said end portions to conform to the curvature of the edges of said shoe sole.
 9. The device of claim 6 wherein said pad is of an interwoven texture, said material gripping parts being releasably interlocked with said pad end portions at the outer surfaces of the end portions.
 10. The device of claim 8 wherein said pad includes a generally circular central portion with said end portions thereof constituting tabs extending outwardly from opposite edges of said central portion.
 11. The device of claim 10 wherein said tabs include tapered side edges integrally joined to said central portion.
 12. A floor cleaning device for securement to the shoe comprising a flexible abrasive cleaning pad having generally opposite end portions, said pad adapted for positioning across the sole of said shoe with said end portions lapping opposite edges of the sole and extending upwardly along the sides of the shoe to define cleaning pad surfaces for wall contact adjacent the floor, a strap having the ends thereof secured to said pad end portions and including a part intermediate said ends adapted to extend across the upper portion of said shoe to hold said pad against said shoe sole, and means associated with said strap for causing said pad end portions to be drawn upwardly and rearwardly relative to said shoe so as to cause the end portions to conform to the curvature of the overlapped edges of the shoe sole, thereby improving the fit of the pad against the sole of the shoe. 